The Beastkeeper's Bride

14: A Púca's Agreement

14: A Púca's Agreement

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The gourd never landed its target for Blayne appeared to have instincts sharper than the tip of a rapier. He snatched the vegetable from above the creature's head moments before it made impact.

"Well, that's just rude," the thing said testily, plunking its fists on its hairy hips and giving Millie an irked glare. "If you weren't the beastkeeper's bride, I would have something to say about this!"

What in the fresh hell is this thing!

It was truly hideous, with moulding brown skin and wiry fur covering every inch of its short body other than its head. It was a mere three feet tall, with spindly hoof-like feet jutting out from under tufts of ill-kempt hair, and its belly possibly made him broader than he was tall. Folds of pointed skin drooped languidly over the side of his face, twitching occasionally as he shifted his obsidian gaze between Millie and Blayne.

"Your presence startled my very human bride, imp," Blayne rebuked the creature firmly, then he shot at Millie, This bothersome shit is Ty, sent by the twins to no doubt annoy me.

"Having spent time with you should have prepared her for all the surprises of living with the beastkeepers," Ty sniffed petulantly. Then his gaze brightened and he hopped closer to her, extending a grubby hand out to the clean, silken fabrics of her skirt. "Here now, let me see the renowned human bride! Let me touch her-"

Eugh. Even in her mind it was easy to make a sound of disgust and she skirted away from the dirty little thing, hoping that the slime covering his fingers did not stem from a bodily orifice. Blayne caught her with his free hand and slid her behind him, partly shielding her with his large body.

"Touch my wife," he warned Ty, "and I'll happily end you."

It made him halt and consider Blayne curiously for a moment, though clearly without fear for his life. It appeared that even though there was an edge that could cut through boulders in her husband's voice, for whatever reason this creature did not appear to value its existence very much. "Nah," Ty chirped happily. "You wouldn't do that, I am too useful! How else would you get messages to the boys, hmm?"

"I have said before less communication between us would be a boon," Blayne grumbled. He kept his arm wide, gently touching her hand from behind. The imp is in the twins' service, though what payment he receives from it Rogane and myself have yet to decipher. His use extends as far as his ability to allow us to communicate with one another immediately, which is useful when a problem arises or one of us needs assistance.

The imp flopped to his haunches and began to dig about in its protruding navel.

Please tell me it doesn't breed, Millie sent him as a look of disgust passed over her face.

I can make no assurances, Blayne quipped in return.

"Are you going to eat that?" Ty pointed at the gourd Blayne had caught in his other hand.

"Yes," he grunted, then adding for Millie's benefit, Once my wife learns to cook it.

She pinched his flank but she was damned if she could latch on to a piece of flesh that wasn't hard and unrelenting between her fingers.

"Pity." Whatever the imp found in his navel was apparently compelling enough to lick from his fingers and Millie's stomach churned.

"Do you harbour a message from Kaede or Caëlhon, or not? Your presence is offending my lady."